riding on mantas and other animals

[Stivo]

stivo that sounds so amazing, i really wish that in my diving future i get to experience something even close to that. just being so close to one would be enough for me!

It was great. We've had mantas on every dive we do at this site. There are two sites in particular in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico that always seem to have them around. Of course, I think we've just been lucky but we've done 8 or 10 dives there and had them everytime. The sites are 'Chimo' and 'El Morro'.

There was one time when other divers wanted to jump on as well after they saw how gentle the animal was... an underwater equivalent to a gangbang. I just backed off so as not to have too many people. The manta got tired of all the company and made an easy get away. It came back though within a few minutes to where me and my buddy were though. Pretty cool and I felt like it came looking for me... the lipstick and cocktail dress were a dead giveaway...

Seriously though... I've had the best luck when you chill and let the animal approach if it chooses to. A couple weeks ago in Sharm I had a turtle hang within arms reach for about a minute while I was snorkeling on the surface. I just floated there and didn't move much. Usually they bolt when near divers on the surface and that was the first time I was able to stay that close for that long to a turtle.

 

[mania]

horses are domesticated and trained animals used to human interaction mantas are wild. the animals at sea world , although they would be better out in the wild, have also been trained and as far as i am aware are taken care of properly.

I have to agree with Shaka. C'mon horses are domesticated but were they always? Since the very beginning? No they haven't. It was done by human beings not by nature. And the same goes for rather a lot of different animals.

As I agree that bone fishes should not be touched because of the protective layer and marine animals should not be fed under no conditions I would rather have people riding mantas and whale sharks than killing them. Why aren't you so shocked when people are riding dolphins? Because dolphins love to play? How do you know mantas don't?
I think that those who experienced such ride could later on defend these animals when other would try to kill them. Such interactions make people love these creatures.
I know I may sound a bit harsh but really if I have a choice - killing or riding I would go for riding. And unfortunately very often it's tertium non datur.
Mania

 

[archman]

Why aren't you so shocked when people are riding dolphins? Because dolphins love to play?

Bad analogy. "Dolphin riding" doesn't really take place in the wild. Anyway, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act such behavior is illegal in U.S. waters. It's also prohobited or at least highly frowned upon by the more developed nations. Some of the tuna skippers have trained personnel that "ride 'em" to direct out of purse seines, but that's pretty much it for wild specimens.

The animals raised in theme parks are specially trained, and are for all intensive purposes domesticated. They would require rehab for release back into the wild. This is done less and less now, as its cheaper and considered more humane to retain the animal in captivity. Semi-domesticated animals used in "dolphin encounters" with the public are tightly controlled nowadays, with very limited interactions allowed. Those animals aren't expected to be released back into the wild, either.

 

[Turtleburp]

There is a fine balance between the energy expended in hunting/finding food and the

energy gained from doing so. When one rides a manta or other organism we upset

that and can definitely have a negative impact.

I'd be surprised at anyone disagreeing then that this sort of interaction is a no no.

If an operator suggests such a thing particulalry in a marine park region simply.. TELL

TALES. That's right write to a governing body and shop em!

As divers we support industry in some pretty special places and if we dont make it

sustainable noone else will!

 

[Fly N Dive]

Turtleburp: i'm gonna have to disagree with you, in most of the stories that have been posted, like Stivo's for example, the manta returned to them. i think that you are looking at this a little too closely, what if the mantas or other fish want to play? it could be a game for them, it sounds like some like to do it and others dont, i dont see the harm in this :06:

now if people were forcing rides i'd be right beside you condeming it, but thats not the case here. i have never ridden any thing in the ocean, and dont dive so i can.

 

[Stivo]

there is a fine line between interaction and harassment... and that line is most likely different things to different people. the points raised here have been valid concerns for the most part. i agree that if someone forces an interaction, that is not cool and becomes a molestation. that's why i let the animal approach me before i reach out to make contact. mano's post reinforces the fact that each animal is different. just because a manta wanted to petted on your last dive, doesn't mean the next one will be so keen to come out and meet you.

besides, i heard that if you pet them too often, you can go blind...

 

[DrSteve]

I was told by a DM that nurse sharks have a protective mucous layer and they should only be touched by bare hands and not gloved hands which will strip the mucous layer off.

Finally I have an obsession with rays and if a ray wanted to play with me or even ride me, I'd be his or her ***** for the dive!

 

[archman]

I was told by a DM that nurse sharks have a protective mucous layer and they should only be touched by bare hands and not gloved hands which will strip the mucous layer off.

Someone made a near identical post a few weeks back, 'cept it was regarding whale sharks. Anyways, as far as I know that "mucous layer" applies to bony fishes, not sharks. It's a critical component of their immune system, functionally similar to that found in corals. Strip it away, and its the human equivalent of exposing the outer dermal tissues.

As for grabbing fishes gloves/no gloves, that really doesn't matter much. Either way you're stripping of the layer when you grab the critter. Sans gloves you have better control, and can maybe minimize the damage.

From personal experience, every nurse shark I've handled (~8-12) was rough to the touch... no slime coat on those suckers.

 

[fishoutawater]

I'm sure I'll get flamed for this, but a few years ago I was diving some reef by Key West and I found a 5 or 6 ft Nurse shark sleeping up under a ledge. I wanted to get a picture of its face, but couldn't manuever far enough under the ledge to get it in my cross hairs.
So I thought maybe I could just pull it out far enough to get the shot, but as soon as I touched the thing, it exploded into life, knocked my mask and regulator completely off of my face, and broke the strap on my camera.
Gotta admit, I felt kinda silly after that. Plus, it wasn't too hard for this numbnuts to realize that the shark didn't appreciate me disturbing his afternoon nap.
What really got my attention though was the fact that my assigned dive buddy (young lady from Chicago), could've been bitten. And I scared her. After I cleared my mask and picked my camera up, I saw her off in the distance, well away from me. As soon as we surfaced she laughed and asked me if I was "crazy or something, grabbing onto a shark like that". She wasn't angry or anything, just a little shaken.
I just chalk that up as one of those lessons learned the hard way.
FWIW, I was bare handed, and I didn't feel any slime on the shark. Just sandpaper like skin.

 

[MSilvia]

I just chalk that up as one of those lessons learned the hard way.

Just be grateful you learned it without having to get bitten.